“She needs to be restricted now. She can’t go out and play because she is very scared of him and she might run into him‚” said a family friend.
The journalist’s lawyer‚ Zukisani Pobotyana‚ read out an affidavit in support of the bail application‚ which stated that he had a teenage child of his own and that there were other family members who were reliant on his salary as their main source of income.
“If this was someone else‚ they would not have been treated this way by the court. In this country if you have high power you are treated differently‚” said a friend of the alleged victim’s family after bail was granted.
Another family friend who knew the accused said she was shocked because “he is someone who covers rape stories all the time”.
In his affidavit the man said he intended to plead not guilty to the charges. He has no former convictions.
The case was postponed to October 29 for further consultation and investigation.